Two police officers in Northwest China's Gansu province have been arrested on charges of torturing a murder suspect to death during an interrogation, a spokeswoman with the provincial public security department said on Tuesday.
He Yong, 27, who is suspected of robbing, raping and killing a schoolgirl in Xihe county of Gansu province, died on April 1 after vomiting during an interrogation conducted by local police officers, according to the spokeswoman, who did not give her name.
Local police had arrested He, a local bank clerk, earlier that same day after having come to suspect that he and three accomplices were responsible for the crimes against the girl, which had occurred in late March.
Local police forced He to confess to the crimes and beat him while asking questions, the spokeswoman said.
On April 3, two police officers in Xihe county were detained on the suspicion that they had tortured He, the spokeswoman said. On April 16, the local prosecutors' office granted a warrant to arrest them, she added.
Local police told He's family that he had died from sudden heart failure during the interrogation, the local Lanzhou Morning Post reported on Monday, quoting He Jinku, He Yong's uncle.
But He's family doubted the police's claims and insisted that he had never been diagnosed with heart disease, the newspaper said.
He Jinku said he saw He Yong's body when forensic experts conducted an autopsy on April 3.
The body was covered with wounds caused by lashes and electric shocks and the head had obviously been bleeding, according to He Jinku.
The autopsy's results will be known in about 20 days, according to the spokeswoman with the provincial public security department.
Questions:
1. How old was He Yong?
2. When did local prosecutors grant a warrant to arrest the officers?
3. When will the autopsy results be known?
Answers:
1. 27.
2. April 16.
3. 20 days.
(中国日报网英语点津 Helen 编辑)
About the broadcaster:
Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.